Dental instrument



Sept. 1, 1931. c. E. SCHULTZE 1,821,079

DENTAL INSTRUMENT Filed July 20, 192 9 69/024517 A-T So /047:2:

Patented Sept. 1, 1931 UNITED STATES CHARLES E. SCHULTZE, 01'' DENVER, COLORADO I DENTAL xivs'rnummw Application filed m 20, 1929. serial No. mam.

This invention .relates to a dental instrument and has for its principal object the provision of an instrument which can be easily attached to the flexible shaft of a dental engine to effectively convert the rotary motion of the shaft into a reciprocatory motion for the operation of abrasive or polishing blades, saws and the like.

Another object of the invention is to so construct the device that the blades can be quickly and easily inserted or removed without disturbing the operating portion of the device and yet will be securely locked in.

place while in use.

A further object of the invention is to provide a device of this character which will occupy but a minimum of space so that it can be easily manipulated and operated without injury or inconvenience to the mouth of the patient.

Other objects and advantages reside in the detail construction of the invention, which is designed for simplicity, economy, and efficiency. These will become more apparent from the following description.

In the following detailed description of the invention reference is had to the accompanying drawings which form a part hereof. Like numerals refer to like parts in all views of the drawings and throughout the description.

In the drawings:

Fig. 1 is a side elevation of the improved dental instrument attached to a typical dental handpiece,

Fig. 2 is a front end View thereof.

Fig. 3 is a longitudinal section through the operating head taken onthe line 3-3, Fig. 2.

Fig. 4 is a front elevation of the operating head with the reciprocating mechanism removed therefrom.

Fig. 5 is a detail perspective view of the reciprocating block employed in the instrument.

Fig. 6 is a cross section through the head taken on the line 6-6, Fig. 2.

Fig. 7 is a detail plan view of an abrasive blade which may be employed in the instrument.

Figs. 3 to 7 inclusive, are all magnified or enlarged views. 7

The invention comprises a sleeve 10 upon one extremity of which a lock nut 12 is swiveled, Within the sleeve 10 a bearing bushing 9 is rotatably mounted and provid-- ed with threads 29 upon which the lock nut 12 is threaded. The bushing 9 is also provided with threads 11 which engage internal threads in the extremity of a dental hand .piece such as illustrated at 8. The lock nut' 12 engages external. threads upon the hand piece 8. In use the threads 11 are tightly screwed into the hand piece and the lock nut '12 is loosely screwed thereon. The sleeve 10 is then rotated upon the bushing 9 until the desired operating angle for the instrument has been obtained and the lock nut 12 is tightened. This securely locks the instrument at any desired operating angle. An operating shaft 1 1 passes through the bushing 9 and terminates 1n bevel pinions 30 for engaging the elbow pinion usually found in dental hand pieces or may have'any desired clutching means.

The sleeve 10 is formed with a T-shaped operating head 13 at its extremity. The extremity of the shaft 14 carries a crank disc 15 which is inset in the outer face of the head 13. The disc 15 serves as a journal for the extremity of the shaft 14. A crank pin 16 extendsforwardly from the disc 15.

A slide channel is formed upon the face of the head 13 by projecting two side guide flanges 31 therefrom, between which a reciprocating block 18 is arranged to slide. The block 18 is held in place between the guide flanges by means of a cap member 17 which is secured to the head 13 by means of suitable screws 20 which engage threaded holes 29 in the flanges 31. I v

A groove is formed across one face of the reciprocating block 18 to 'fit over the projecting crank pin 16 so that as the disc 15 rotates the block 18 will reciprocate upon the face of the head 13 between the guide flanges 31 and under the cap 17 The instrument is particularly designed for holding and reciprocating thin abrasive blades for cleaning, polishing, forming, cutv of its faces and tin and' se aratin teeth, dental fillings. an plates. t can, owever, be adapted to hold any desired dental tool such as a dull, hook, scraper, hammer, file, etc.

A typical blade is illustrated at 21 and comprises a narrow, thin, flexible, metalllc,

'member carrying abrasive material 22 ce- I a bent extremity which extends through the cover plate 33 in an arcuate slot 26 and en gages in one of the notches 23 of the blade. A groove 32, covered by the cover plate 33 extends across the face of the block 18 to receive the extremity of the spring 25 and allow the latter to extendbelow the blade 2-1. This eflectively prevents the spring from slipping over the blade.

The fixed extremity of the spring 25 is passed into a hole in the block 18 adjacent its one extremity and is secured therein by means of soldering, brazing, or welding, etc., as indicated at28. The blade is preferably provided with a notch 23 in each of its edges so that its position in the block 18 may be reversed.

The blades can be placed in position by simply inserting them in the channel 24, and forcing them inwardl This causes the bent extremity of the spring 25 to ride over the end of the blade, which is rounded for this purpose as shown at 27, and engage in one of the notches 23. The blade can be quickly removed by simply forcing the spring to one side with the finger nail. The cap 17 is provided with a longitudinal slot 34 to clear the spring 25.

The operation of the device is very evident from the foregoing description and drawings. It acts to impart a rapid, smooth, uniform, short stroke reciprocation to'the blades 22 which quickly accomplishes the desired dental operation.

While the invention has been particularly described as pertaining to a dental instrument it is not limited to this use but will be of advantage in many other instances. One other use which mi ht be suggested is for polishing and filing curing art.

While a specific form of the improvement has been described and illustrated herein, it is desired to be understood that the same may be varied, within the scope of the appended claims without departing from the spirit of the invention.

Having thus described the invention, what is claimed and desired secured by Letters Patent is nger nails in the mani- 1. In a dental instrument having a reciprocating member, means for'detac ably engaging a blade in said member comprising: a socket extending into said member to receive said blade; a spring secured at its one extremity to said member and extending at its other extremity inwardly into said membep across said socket so as to swing laterally into an indentation in the edge of said blade, there being a second socket at right angles to said first socket so as to allow space for the latter extremity of said spring to move awa from and into contact with the edge of sald blade.

2. A reciprocating member for dental tools comprising: a block; a cover plate containing a longitudinal channel on said block, said channel opening to the end thereof so as to receive a blade; and means for detachably maintaining said blade in said channel, comprising: a spring secured at its first extremity to said block and extending over said cover plate; a second extremity on said spring turned inwardly through an opening in said cover plate so that it will intercept the side of said channel and engage in a notch on said blade.

3. A reciprocating member for dental tools comprising: a block; a cover plate containing a longitudinal channel on said block, said channel opening to the end thereof so as to receive a blade; and means for detachably maintaining said blade in said channel, comprising: a spring secured at its first extremity to said block and extending over said cover plate; a second extremity on said spring turned inwardly through an opening in said cover plate so that it will intercept the side of said channel and engage in a notch on said blade, there being a lateral groove in said block below said cover plate so as to allow said second extremity to pass beyond said channel;

In testimony whereof I affix my signature.

CHARLES E. SCHULTZE. 

